No.1 OKC vs No.2 Memphis. When it comes to facing the Memphis Grizzlies, the Oklahoma City Thunder have managed to hold a slight edge over them the last couple of years. However, Ja Morant and co aren’t that far behind, as they occupy the 2 seed in the West! A loss and the Grizzlies may end up losing their spot to the Houston Rockets. Therefore, both teams will be looking to give their best on Sunday. Unfortunately, despite their great season so far, the Grizzlies hold a disadvantage on the injury front.

According to ESPN’s Injury Report, Ja Morant has now been declared ‘OUT’ against OKC. The update comes after the star player sustained an injury during the 3 quarter of the win against the New Orleans Pelicans. He hurt his right shoulder after a collision with Daniel Theis and had to exit the game. While he returned to the bench after an examination, he did not play in the game’s remaining minutes. Now, the AC joint sprain is set to keep him benched for the upcoming game, and probably in a few more too.

To make the situation worse, Brandon Clarke is listed as ‘Questionable’, as he continues to recover from his knee injury. However, his situation isn’t as dire as Santi Aldama, whose left ankle sprain has kept him on a week-to-week status. Meanwhile, doctors will re-evaluate Marcus Smart’s partial tear of the proximal extensor hood of his right index finger only after two weeks. As a result, he now holds the same ‘OUT’ status as Vince Williams Jr. and GG Jackson II.

On the other hand, the Oklahoma City Thunder are in no better situation. According to their Injury Report, 8 players are listed ‘OUT’! Cason Wallace had not only been one of the most consistent players for OKC but in the league too. After all, he had appeared in all 111 games of his career, establishing a memorable streak. However, the streak got over as he was sidelined during the matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, and will continue to miss out when the Thunder go up against the Grizzlies.

It was only a couple of days ago when Branden Carlson started appearing in the matchups for OKC. However, he then went on to sustain a concussion during a team practice. In light of this, the team placed him in the NBA’s concussion protocol prior to the Wizards matchup. As of now, Carlson has missed 5 consecutive games.

Alex Caruso was also another recent victim of injuries, as he sustained a left hip strain not so long ago. During the first quarter of the game against the Indiana Pacers, reporters reported that Luguentz Dort sustained a knee injury at the time. However, medical staff later confirmed that it was a right ankle sprain. Now, he joins the same status as Alex Ducas, Adem Flagler, Chet Holmgren, and Nikola Topic.

In light of these updates, both teams will have to make adjustments to their starting lineups.

What will the starting lineup and depth chart for the Grizzlies-Thunder game look like?

The injuries of both Ja Morant and Marcus Smart will cause the Memphis Grizzlies to look at other players. Therefore, Desmond Bane, Scotty Pippen Jr., Luke Kennard, and Jaylen Wells can see their responsibilities increase. In fact, the son of the Chicago Bulls legend will most likely start at the point guard spot.

With these updates, the starting lineup for the Memphis Grizzlies is expected to look like this:

Similarly, given the updates for the Oklahoma City Thunder, their starting lineup may look like this:

The Memphis Grizzlies or the Oklahoma City Thunder? Who will you be rooting for during the upcoming matchup? Let us know in the comments section below.